Tech Bites Irish At Gator Bowl

A native of Jacksonville, no player was more excited to be at the Gator Bowl than Georgia Tech's Dez White.

What a homecoming he had Friday.

White caught touchdown passes of 44 and 55 yards from Joe Hamilton, helping No. 12 Georgia Tech to a 35-28 victory over No. 17 Notre Dame.

In an unexpected shootout, Hamilton and White outdueled Jarious Jackson and Autry Denson, leading the Yellow Jackets (10-2) to their first 10-win season since 1990.

Trying to snap a three-game bowl losing streak, Notre Dame (9-3) broke out its green jerseys for the first time since the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. But those uniforms couldn't defend White nor Hamilton and the Fighting Irish came up short of pulling out another last-second victory.

"All week long, I felt real comfortable," White said. "Then, coming in here today, it just felt like a home game. I was fired up, ready to play in front of my friends and family."

Trailing 35-28, the Irish got the ball twice in the final three minutes. Neither series produced a yard and Nate Stimson, who finished with 2½ sacks, ended the final drive by forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive end Jesse Tarplin.

"This is great," Stimson said. "It's the last game of my career, the game's on the line late and I'm able to sack the quarterback and force a fumble. You couldn't ask for a better ending."

It gave Georgia Tech, 17-13 losers to Notre Dame in the 1997 season opener, only its fifth victory over the Irish in 32 meetings and its first since Pepper Rodgers' team won 23-14 in 1976.

"Anytime you get to 10 wins, I think that's outstanding," said Tech coach George O'Leary. "It catapults you to next season."

Wearing a knee brace because of an injury he sustained in November, Jackson finihed 13-for-24 for 150 yards and led the Irish on three touchdown drives in the second half.

Denson, Notre Dame's all-time leading rusher, had 130 yards and three touchdowns.

The Irish couldn't bring Phillip Rogers and the Yellow Jacket down to Earth. (AP)

But Hamilton and White put on the better show, connecting on their first score -- the 44-yard sideline route -- after the Irish had cut a 21-7 deficit to one point.

The second came on a fly pattern for a 35-28 lead with 7:55 left after Jackson had driven the Irish 88 yards, tying the score at 28.

White had 129 yards receiving on four catches.

Hamilton threw for 237 yards and three scores, ran for 19 yards and caught his first career pass, a 5-yard touchdown from running back Joe Burns to open the scoring in the first quarter.

That was just the beginning of a wild game.

Trailing 21-7 at halftime, Jackson led the Irish on a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that included two quarterback draws and was capped by Denson's 1-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing kickoff, Tony Driver stole the ball from Virgil Johnson and Jackson led the Irish to another quick touchdown. But Kofi Smith blocked Jim Sanson's extra point attempt, keeping the Yellow Jackets in front 21-20.

"Really, we didn't play very well in the first half," said Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. "But it was a credit to our players. In the second half, they came out and competed extremely well."

The teams traded touchdowns, and after Denson's third score, Jackson hit Bobby Brown for a 2-point conversion, tying the score.

Stimson had 18 tackles for the Yellow Jackets, but also had a costly penalty. Leading 28-20, he got called for roughing the passer after Jackson was sacked on third down at the Tech 26. Three plays and 13 yards later, Denson scored and the game was tied.

"It's big, especially since going into this season, we had two chances to get 10 (wins) and we didn't do it either time," said offensive lineman Mike Rosenthal, a senior. "But you can't dwell on that. The game is over. I can't ever again put on a Notre Dame jersey, or anything like that, so I have to go on and live my life."

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